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MFI's Ministry Philosophy

Ministers
Fellowship International exists to facilitate and nurture meaningful
relationships among member ministers, equipping and enabling them to be more
effective in their callings, for the purpose of building and multiplying strong
local churches around the world.

MFI is not a denomination. It is a fellowship. For this reason, MFI does not credential ministers, hold church properties or maintain a central mission board. All of these are functions of the local church. MFI exists for the support of local church ministers and their churches.

Ministers Partnering with Ministers

MFI
is a fellowship of ministers of like vision and doctrine who voluntarily
associate themselves with other ministries for the purpose of fellowship,
encouragement, vision, expansion, equipping, and strength. By becoming a member
of MFI, you are able to receive resources and strength from others. This is a
two-way street in that you are also in a position to be a source of strength
and resource to others in the Fellowship. MFI provides a structure and a
context where meaningful relationships can be cultivated and where every member
is looking out for each other.

Affiliation yet Autonomy

One
of the strong doctrinal foundations of MFI is its conviction that every local
church is autonomous. Each local church is to be self-governing, self-supporting,
and self-propagating. We desire to be a catalyst to bring pastors and church
leaders together in affiliation for the purpose of fellowship, relationship,
and strength. However we will not violate the structural integrity and
authority of the local assembly.

MFI
safeguards the local church by organizing the Fellowship in a way that prevents
the things that give control. There are three things MFI will not do:

1.
MFI does not credential ministers. The local church is to be the place where ministers
are birthed, raised up, trained, equipped, licensed, and ordained. MFI
maintains that licensing and ordination are the specific functions of the local
church and must be administered on that level.

2.
MFI does not own local church properties. The local church is the rightful
owner of its own properties and MFI does not involve itself legally with church
properties.

3.
MFI does not control local church missions. The local church is to be the
sending body for missionaries. Local churches may voluntarily cooperate with
each other on missionaries and mission projects, but MFI as an organization
does not send missionaries or plant churches. This is the ministry of the local
church and MFI is dedicated to strengthening the local church as it fulfills its
own ministry vision.

In
spite of the fact that MFI does not subscribe to organizational control, it
does recognize that ministers need a sense of spiritual family and identity.
They need to be part of a vision greater than themselves. They need committed
relationships with like-minded ministers who can be a source of strength and
resource in their time of need.

MFI
is just that for many pastors and leaders. When leaders come into MFI, they
come into a spiritual family of brothers, sisters, fathers, and mothers who can
provide wisdom, counsel, and relationship when they need it. They become part
of a worldwide vision that continues to grow into the future.

Accountability without Control

MFI
provides a context for spiritual relationship and accountability in a balanced
fashion without having any official or legal control over any minister or
church.

As
a fellowship of ministers, MFI provides a context for ministers to find
strengthening and support relationships with other ministers. However, these
relationships are voluntary and unofficial and are not intended to replace the
legal and official authority of the local church.

All
ministers, including the senior pastor, should be under the legal authority of
and accountable to their own church elder board. If a pastor has no elder
board, then he should be submitted to the accountability of a covering church
while that elder board is in the process of forming.

If
a local church's lead pastor or leadership team invites MFI leaders to be
involved in a decision-making matter in that local church, any given
suggestions would be submitted to the leadership team as advice. Any decisions
or actions would be the function of the local church eldership.